Dispenser for granular products



June 5, 1962 N M. TORNQUIST 3,037,673

DISPENSER FOR GRANULAR PRODUCTS Filed April 4, 1959 2 sheets-sheet 1 35 24 INVENTOR M26 ,Maynw Fbrzzyzzwf,

June 5, 1962 N. M. TORNQUIST DISPENSER FOR GRANULAR PRODUCTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Filed April 4, 1958 VENTOR /VZZJ May/z my 7017: zzz'sfi. W41 Vwfl [191% ATTBR/VEYS United States 3,037,673 DISPENSER FOR GRANULAR PRODUCTS Nils Magnus Tornquist, Honey Brook, Pa., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 4, 1958, Ser. No. 726,456 12 Claims. (Cl. 222185) This invention relates generally to dispensing free flowing granular products, and is more particularly concerned with a dispenser wherein a container for such products is readily mountable and supported in position for dispensing its contents.

Conventionally, when using a powdered hand soap such as Boraxo or the like, the container in which it is packaged is handled by the user. It often happens that the users hands are initially badly soiled, and subsequently wet and soapy. Manipulation of the container and the closure cap by the users hands when in this condition results in an unsightly container which does not meet readily with consumer approval. If the user should attempt to remove some of this external grime from the container after having washed his hands by rinsing off this container, the excessive moisture causes clogging of the discharge opening, deterioration of the container at the discharge opening, jamming of the closure cap, and caking or crusting at and adjacent to the container outlet.

Although numerous dispensers for granular products have been previously proposed, they generally do not dispense the material directly from the container in which it is packaged for sale but rather from another receptacle, and consequently the container portion of the dispenser, after many refillings of said receptacle, often became corroded and unfit for use. Additionally, many of the previously known dispensers embodied a compartment feature designed to receive a usable quantity of the granular material which was then dispensed on the next manipulation of the operating mechanism. The material in the compartments of such containers generally became hardened, partially obstructing discharge openings to interfere with the operation and efficiency of the dispenser.

The dispenser of this invention operates to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art mentioned above.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a dispenser for granular products in a container in which the container and product are protected from excessive moisture and the product is dispensed while the container is maintained in a discharge position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dispenser for granular products including means supporting a disposable container in a discharge position, means permitting manual agitation of the container to dispense its contents and protect the container and contents from excessive moisture, the last mentioned means cooperating with the material being dispensed to prevent material from discharging from the container when the dispenser is not being intentionally manipulated, and a means for catching and retaining the material dispensed when it is not caught in the hand of a person using the dispenser.

A further object of this invention is to provide a dispenser for granular products packaged in a disposable container including a discharge nozzle, the dispenser including a support member retaining the container upright in an inverted, powder dispensing position, and agitating plate means manually engageable with the container for discharging its contents and normally disposed in a fixed position to permit a pile of'the powder to accumulate thereon and act as a valve closing the discharge outlet and preventing further discharge of the material until the plate is agitated.

3,@37,673 Patented June 5, 1962 With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of the dispenser of the invention, parts being broken away and in section and the space between the dispensing plate and discharge nozzle of the container being exaggerated for purposes of illustration;

FIGURE 2 is a section taken on line 2--2 of FIGURE 1, showing in dotted lines the manner in which the dispensing plate is manipulated to agitate the container and the accumulated pile of granular material to be dispensed;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3--3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the dispenser on a slightly reduced scale, the container of FIGURES 1-3 being shown in a different position;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a front elevation of still another embodiment of the dispenser on a slightly reduced scale;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical cross section taken on line 77 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of dispensing plate usable in the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and first considering FIGURES 1-3, a dispenser for a granular or powdered product is indicated generally at 5 including a support member 6 and an inverted disposable container 7 which will contain a substantially free flowing granular material such as a powdered hand soap, for example.

The container comprises a hollow metal body 8 having an elliptical cross section, and which is closed at one end, including at its other end a projecting integral nozzle 9 having a transverse discharge opening 10 therethrough. The nozzle has rotatably mounted thereon a closure cap 11 including a transverse opening 12 alignable with and turnable as a valve away from the opening 10. The container will be filled in any suitable manner with the granular product and when inverted with the openings 10 and 12 in alignment, the product will readily pour therefrom. Although a particularly shaped container is disclosed, the dispenser may comprise containers having a square or circular cross section, for example. When the container is inserted into the support member 6, the cap 11 will have been adjusted to a position for permitting a desired flowing of the granular product through the openings 10 and 12 in order to cause a pile of material P to accumulate therebeneath.

The support member 6 comprises a housing indicated generally at 13 which includes a back plate 14 having thereon a spacer or an application of bonding material 15 serving as one means for suitably securing the plate on a wall or other support. Optionally, the support memher back plate may be secured by means of screws 16 to the vertical support or a wall, or in mountings which will permit, the securing screws may be employed as supplementary to the adhesive bond. The back plate includes at opposite sides inwardly turned flanges 17 and 18 linearly engaging at 19 and 20, respectively adjacent portions of the container body 8 functioning to hold the container uprightly and guide the same in a path of vertical movement when the container is agitated. See FIGURES 2 and 3.

The housing 13 includes a displaceable cover 22 forming with the back plate an enclosure which receives the container 7, the cover being open at its bottom as indi cated at 23, and including a front wall 24 preferably arcuate in shape and substantially conforming to the adjacent side of the container 7. The front wall aids in guiding the container in its vertical movement of agitation. The wall 24 merges into substantially parallel side wall portions 25 and 26 which are inwardly turned at 27 and 28, having sufficient resiliency to detachably engage over the terminal side edges of the back plate 14 from which the flanges 17 and 18 extend. The wall 24 also merges into a top portion 30 which will be spaced above the adjacent end or bottom of the container 7 and define the upper limit of vertical movement of the container. The top portion 30 terminates in a transverse tubular hinge portion 31 cooperating with the tubular hinge portion 32 formed on the upper edge of the back plate 14. See FIGURE 1. The hinge portions are connected by a hinge pin 33 to permit the cover to be pivoted in the direction indicated by the dotted arcuate direction arrow of FIGURE 2 for replacement of the container.

Projecting inwardly from the back plate 14 between the flanges 17 and 18 is an integral stop portion or rest 35, upon which the container 7 normally rests. See FIGURE 2. The stop portion 35 will not interfere with free upward movement of the container in the housing when the container is being agitated, and as the container is allowed to drop onto the stop the resulting jarring action aids in effecting the desired discharging of the container fill portions.

Indicated generally at 36 is a dispensing or agitating means comprising a plate 37 extending transversely in spaced relation beneath the discharge nozzle 9 of the container a suflicient distance to permit a pile P of the granular material to accumulate on the plate and act as a valve to prevent further flow of material from the container outlet. The distance between the nozzle outlet and underlying portion of the plate 37 is exaggerated in the drawings and this distance will depend to a substantial degree on the shape of the plate and the type of material being dispensed. It is well known that different granular materials will have different flow characteristics. For example, a granular material such as Boraxo has been found to provide for the accumulation of a satisfactory valve forming pile when the nozzle is disposed approximately A of an inch above the agitating plate.

As seen in FIGURE 2, the plate 37 has an upper concave surface portion 40 beneath the nozzle merging into an upwardly extending portion 41 continuing as a transverse abutment flange 42 engageable on the adjacent surface of the back plate 14. The flange 42 includes at its upper edge coaxial sleeve portions 43 and 44 suitably hinged to aligned cooperating hinge sleeves 45 and 46 secured in spaced relation on the inner surface of the back plate above the stop portion 35. The upper edge of the flange 42 is cut away at 47 and the stop portion 35 extends over the flange, as shown in FIGURE 2. The plate 37 includes raised side walls 48 and 49 merging into a forward edge 50 which terminates inwardly of the outer wall 24 of the housing, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, providing a space 52 through which the granular material may fall. The engagement of the flange 42 on the back plate limits downward movement of the plate 37. The hinged connection of the plate on the back wall permits the container to be raised off the stop portion 35 and agitated within the housing by manipulating the plate between the solid and dotted line positions shown in FIG- URE 2.

Raising of the plate 37 causes pressure to be applied to the pile P of powdered material to aid in breaking it up should there have been any caking thereof. Subsequent mechanical engagement at 53 between the plate 37 and closure cap 11 causes the lifting of the container 7. Vertical agitation of the container and breaking up of the pile results in additional flow of the granular product from the container as the plate is manipulated.

When using the dispenser, a person will generally wet his hands prior to applying the soap, and when operating the dispenser by inserting his fingers beneath the plate 37, it will be noted that the discharge opening and container are protected from contact with moisture on the users hands. Thus continuous free flow of the granular material is substantially assured.

In order to salvage material which may drop from a users hand when the dispenser is operated, a catch plate is provided, the same being indicated generally at 55. The catch plate 55 comprises an integral depending extension of the back plate 14, curving away from the general plane of the back plate at 56 in spaced relation beneath agitating plate 37 a sufiicient distance 57 to permit a users fingers to be inserted between said plate 37 and the terminal edge 58 of the plate 55 as seen at the lower right in FIGURE 2. The forward edge 58 of the catch plate is slightly raised and terminates beyond the general upright plane of the outer wall 24 of the housing. Opposite sides of the catch plate are uninterrupted at 60 and 61, as seen in FIGURE 1, to facilitate the scraping off and salvaging of matelial deposited thereon. The catch plate includes at its side a bordering flange 62 which serves to rigidify the plate and orient the dispenser on the vertical support upon which the dispenser is mounted.

In FIGURES 4 and 5, there is disclosed a modified arrangement in which the dispenser generally designated functions in the same manner as that previously described. The dispenser 70 comprises a support member 71 including a housing 72 and a back plate 73 having inwardly turned guide flanges 74 and 75 at opposite side edges. The housing 72 includes a cover 76 which is hingedly connected at 77 to the upper edge of the back plate 73, and includes an outer wall 78 substantially conforming to one side of the container 7 and functioning to guide the container when it is vertically agitated. The bottom of the housing is open at 79 and the discharge nozzle of the container 7 will extend partially therethrough. The container 7 will be supported in a position at right angles to that shown in FIGURES l3, as will be apparent by a comparison of FIGURES 3 and 4.

The back plate 73 includes an integral stop portion 80 positioning the container 7 in relation to the upper surface 81 of an underlying dispensing or agitating plate 82 hingedly connected at 83 to the back plate. The back plate includes a depending catch plate 84 underlying the agitating plate and housing.

The dispenser 70 functions in the same manner as that of FIGURES 1-3, however, the discharge nozzle of the container 7 will be disposed a greater distance from the back plate 73 than in the embodiment of FIGURES 1-3. Thus the user of dispenser 70 will be able to extend his fingers into this dispenser a considerable distance to permit the granular product to fall into or adjacent the palm of his hand. As is readily apparent, the structure of FIG- URES 4 and 5 permits the disposable container 7 to be supported in a position whereby the major axis of the elliptical container body cross-section will be disposed normal to the general plane of the back plate 73.

In FIGURE 9, a dispensing or agitating plate 85 is disclosed which has substantially the same configuration and is installed in the same manner as are the previously described plates 37 and 82. The plate 85 includes a pair of vertically extending abutment elements 86 and 87, the upper edges of which are normally spaced below and engageable with an adjacent portion of the container 7 on opposite sides of the discharge nozzle thereof when the plate is agitated. Although two abutment elements are shown, a single abutment element could be employed. When the plate has the abutment elements 86 and 87, initial upward movement thereof would serve to break up an accumulated and caked pile of the powdered material being dispensed, permitting flow of the broken material, however, the nozzle discharge openings will not be covered by the plate during its continued upward movement, the latter serving to bring about mechanical contact of the members 86 and 87 with the container during the agitation thereof.

In FIGURES 6 and 7 another embodiment of dispenser is indicated generally at 88 'whereon the container 7 is supported in a support member 89 in the same relative position as shown in FIGURES l-3. The dispenser includes a back plate 90 integral with a depending arcuate catch plate 91 which is open at its sides as shown in FIG- URE 6, and a displaceable cover 92 open at the bottom as indicated at 93. The cover includes side wall portions which will engage the side edges of the back plate 90 adjacent its guide flanges 94. The cover 92 may be entirely separated from the back plate 90, the top wall 95 thereof including a downwardly turned rear transverse flange 96 extending over and resting on the upper transverse edge 97 of the back plate.

Projecting laterally from the inner surface of the back plate 90 is a pair of spaced support straps 98 and 99 between which the closure cap 11 extends, the straps function in the same manner as the stop portions 35 and 80.

Extending horizontally beneath the closure cap is a dispensing or agitating plate 100 which is substantially reduced in width when compared with the previously described plates 37, 82 and 85, but has sufiicient width to permit the pile P to accumulate thereon. The plate 100 comprises a flat body portion :102 terminating at one end inwardly of the outer wall of the cover, as seen in FIG- URE 7, and includes a transverse hinge portion 103 connected to a cooperating hinge portion 104 on the back plate by means of a hinge pin 105. The body portion 102 includes at the hinge portion 103 a depending tab 106 normal to the general plane of the body portion 102 and normally engaging the inner surface of the back plate 90. The body portion 102 may be agitated upwardly, as indicated by the dotted line direction arrow on FIGURE 7.

In use, the plate 102 may be moved upwardly from the position shown in FIGURE 7, initially crushing the pile P and subsequently agitating the container 7. The narrow plate 102 will permit a considerable portion of the dispensed material to fall immediately into a users hand, and excess material will be caught on the underlying catch plate 91.

Considering FIGURE 8, another embodiment of the dispenser is indicated generally at 108. This dispenser will support the inverted disposable container 7 in a position similar to the embodiments of FIGURES 1-3 and 6-7, whereby a pile of the granular material will accumulate beneath the discharge cap .11 of the container.

The dispenser 108 includes a support member 109 comprising a rectangular back plate 110 including a resilient backing sheet .111 and bored portions 112 for receiving retaining screws. Extending laterally from an intermediate portion of the plate 110 is a guide and retaining strap 113 which will be disposed about an intermediate portion of the body 8 of the inverted container. The strap includes side flanges 114 secured on the back plate 110 by screws 115, and guides the container when it is vertically agitated.

Projecting laterally from the back plate 110 in aligned relationship and secured to said plate by means of screws 11 6 is a pair of strap elements 117 and 118 upon which the container 7 will rest, and between which the container closure cap 11 will depend in discharging position.

A dispensing or agitating plate is indicated generally at 119, the same comprising a substantially flat body portion 120 which will normally project horizontally in spaced relation beneath the container closure cap 11. A pile of the dispensed granular material will accumulate on an underlying central portion 121 of the body portion and after such pile has built up into a nozzle outlet contacting position, continued flow from the container nozzle outlet will stop. A plurality of apertures 122 surrounds the pile supporting central portion 121, said apertures being spaced suificiently therefrom to permit the the material will freely fall when the plate is agitated. The agitator plate body portion includes a depending flange 123 engageable by a users fingers when agitating the plate upwardly.

Depending transversely of the rear edge 124 of the plate body portion 120 is a transverse abutment flange 125 extending from the general plane of the body portion at an angle 126 which is greater than 90 degrees. The lower edge 127 of the flange 125 normally engages the adjacent surface of the back plate 110. The flange 125 has parallel mounting ear portions 128 and 129 extending rearwardly therefrom and which are disposed on opposite sides of the back plate 110. The mounting ears include aligned apertures through which retaining screws 130 extend to hingedly connect the dispensing plate on the back plat-e. The rear edge 124 of the body portion will be spaced from the adjacent surface of the back plate 110 by the placement of the screws 130 and determine the angle through which the plate can be agitated. For example, if the angle 126 is 100 degrees, the dispensing plate may be agitated through 10 degrees, from its normal horizontal position. As the plate 119 is agitated from its normal position, the accumulated pile of granular material will be broken up and the container will be mechanically raised by engagement of the con tainer closure cap with the plate body portion 120.

Although not specifically shown, the embodiment of FIGURE 8, may include a catch plate such as those indicated at 55, 84 and 91, if desired.

The structures shown embody the invention in preferred forms but it is intended that the disclosure be illustrative rather than definitive, and that variations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims,

I claim:

1. In combination, a support member for engagement on a vertical support, a container for a granular material removably supported in inverted position on said support member, means on said support member engaged with said container and limiting downward movement of the container while permitting vertical agitation thereof, said container including a depending discharge portion having an outlet through which the container contents will pour, and vertically displaceable agitating means on said support member disposed transversely of and spaced beneath said discharge portion, said agitating means including a portion spaced below said outlet upon which a pile of the container contents may accumulate in its natural angle of repose and contact said outlet to prevent further flow of the material from the container, said agitating means portion being engageable with said container to cause a breaking up of any caking of the accumulated pile of material to be dispensed from said dischargeportion.

2. In the combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said support member includes a catch plate extending beneath said agitating means and defining therewith an access opening through which a users fingers may be inserted to manipulate said agitating means and receive the material discharged from the discharge outlet of the container.

3. In combination, a support member for engagement on a vertical support, a container for a granular material removably supported in inverted position on said support member, means on said support member engaged with said container and limiting downward movement of the container while permitting vertical agitation thereof, said container including a depending discharge portion having an outlet through which the container contents will pour, and vertically displaceble agitating means on said support member disposed transversely of and spaced beneath said discharge portion, said agitating means including a portion spaced below said outlet upon which a pile of the container contents may accumulate in its natural angle of repose and contact said outlet to prevent further flow of the material from the container, said agitating means portion being engageable with said container to cause a breaking up of any caking of the accumulated pile of material to be dispensed from said discharge portion, wherein said agitating means including portions pivotally connected with said support member, limiting the agitating means in downward movement beneath said discharge portion and permitting upward movement thereof for vertically agitating the container.

4. In the combination set forth in claim 3 wherein said agitating means includes perforations defining an uninterrupted portion aligned with and engageable with said discharge portion whereby a pile of the granular material may build up on said uninterrupted portions and agitation of said plate causes material to pass through the perforations.

5. In combination, a support member for engagement on a vertical support, a container for a granular material removably supported in inverted position on said support member, means on said support member engaged with said container and limiting downward movement of the container while permitting vertical agitation thereof, said container including a depending discharge portion having an outlet through which the container contents will pour, and vertically displaceable agitating means on said support member disposed transversely of and spaced beneath said discharge portion, said agitating means including a portion spaced below said outlet upon which a pile of the container contents may accumulate in its natural angle of repose and contact said outlet to prevent further flow of the material from the container, said agitating means portion being engageable with said container to cause a breaking up of any caking of the accumulated pile of material to be dispensed from said discharge portion, said agitating means comprising a plate element hinged at one edge on said support member, an abutment portion integral with said plate extending from said hinged edge and engageable with said support member and orienting said plate to a normal position beneath said discharge portion and permitting upward movement of said plate toward said discharge portion, said plate including an uninterrupted portion beneath said discharge portion for accumulating thereon a pile of the material to be dispensed.

6. In the combination set forth in claim 5 in which said plate includes a concave surface for accumulating the pile of granular material thereon.

7. In the combination set forth in claim 5 in which said plate includes at least one vertically extending abutment element engageable with said container adjacent said discharge portion.

8. In combination, a support member for engagement on a vertical support, a container for a granular material removably supported in inverted position on said support member, means on said support member engaged with said container and limiting downward movement of the container while permitting vertical agitation thereof, said container including a depending discharge portion having an outlet through which the container contents will pour, and vertically displaceable agitating means on said sup port member disposed transversely of and spaced beneath said discharge portion, said agitating means including a portion spaced below said outlet upon which a pile of the container contents may accumulate in its natural angle of repose and contact said outlet to prevent further flow of the material from the container, said agitating means portion being-engageable with said container to cause a breaking up of any caking of the accumulated pile of material to be dispensed from said discharge portion, said support member including a catch plate extending beneath said agitating means and defining therewith an access opening through which'a users fingers may be inserted to manipulate said agitating means and receive the material discharged from the discharge outlet of the container, said support member comprising a housing including a displaceable cover, said agitating means including a transverse edge terminating inwardly of one side of said cover, said catch plate including a transverse edge terminating below and beyond the transverse edge of said agitating plate means.

9. A dispenser for dispensing granular material from a container, said dispenser comprising a support member, a generally horizontally disposed dispensing plate, hinge means mounting said dispensing plate on a lower portion of said support for vertical movement, and means on said support for engaging and supporting a container for vertical movement with a discharge opening of the container spaced above said dispensing plate, whereby the material to be dispensed may collect on said dispensing plate and maintain a natural angle of repose with the upper portion of the material closing the discharge opening.

10. The dispenser of claim 9 wherein said hinge means is disposed above the general plane of said dispensing plate whereby as said dispensing plate is swung upwardly it will also swing outwardly and thus throw the material to be dispensed into. ones hand.

11. The dispenser of claim 9 wherein said support includes a mounting plate portion intended to be vertically disposed and adapted to be secured to a vertical surface.

12. A dispenser for dispensing granular material from a container, said dispenser comprising a support member, a generally horizontally disposed dispensing plate, hinge means. mounting said dispensing plate on a lower portion of said support for vertical movement, and means on said support for engaging and supporting a container for vertical movement with a discharge opening of the container spaced above said dispensing plate, whereby the material to be dispensed may collect on said dispensing plate and maintain a natural angle of repose with the upper portion of the material closing the discharge opening, said dispenser plate beingarcuate both in longitudinal and transverse cross-section and sloping downwardly and forwardly from said support, and said hinge means being disposed above said dispensing plate whereby as said dispensing plate is moved upwardly it will also swing forwardly and thus throw the material to be dispensed into ones hand.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 896,759 Robinson Aug. 25, 1908 1,226,803 Osborn May 22, 1917 1,257,910 Meves Feb. 26, 1918 1,783,423 Harper Dec. 2, 1930 2,079,364 Stewart May 4, 1937 2,165,933 Martin July 11, 1939 2,552,817 Ross May 15, 1951 2,580,899 Eaton Jan. 1, 1952 

